Shoe Sole with Shock Absorbing Capability

ABSTRACT

A shoe sole includes: a sole unit defining at least one recess; at least one elastic body received in the recess and having a cellular structure that defines at least two levels of cells, the two levels of the cells being disposed one above the other, each of the cells defining a cell space therein; and a filler material that fills the cell space of each of the cells.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a shoe sole, more particularly to a shoe soleincluding an elastic body having a cellular structure that defines aplurality of horizontally extending cells.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional shoe sole 1 attached to an upper of afootwear article. The shoe sole 1 includes an outsole 10 formed with arecess 11, and an elastic body 12 received in the recess 11. The elasticbody 12 is formed with a plurality of vertically extending through-holes13, each of which is filled with a filler 14 so as to provide a shockabsorbing effect. However, since the structure thus formed for theelastic body 12 has a relatively poor compressibility in a compressiondirection (Y) toward the ground, the shock absorbing effect provided bythe conventional shoe sole 1 is relatively poor when a downward force(F) is applied to the shoe sole 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a shoe sole that canovercome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.

According to this inventions there is provided a shoe sole thatcomprises: a sole unit defining at least one recess; at least oneelastic body received in the recess and having a cellular structure thatdefines at least two levels of cells, the two levels of the cells beingdisposed one above the other, each of the cells defining a cell spacetherein; and a filler material that fills the cell space of each of thecells.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary schematic view of a conventional shoe soleattached to an upper of a footwear article;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a shoesole according to this invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an elastic body of the first preferredembodiment;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment viewed froma bottom side;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of the first preferred embodimentin a compressed state;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an elastic body of the second preferredembodiment according to this invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an elastic body of the third preferredembodiment according to this invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the fourth preferred embodiment accordingto this invention;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view of the fifth preferred embodiment accordingto this invention; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the sixth preferred embodiment accordingto this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate the first preferred embodiment of a shoe sole ofa footwear article according to this invention.

The shoe sole includes: a sole unit 2 defining at least one recess 20;at least one elastic body 3 received in the recess 20 and having acellular structure that defines at least two levels of cells 30, the twolevels of the cells 30 being disposed one above the other, each of thecells 30 defining a cell space therein; and a filler material 34 thatfills the cell space of each of the cells 30.

In this embodiment, the sole unit 2 includes an outsole 21 that definesthe recess 20 disposed at a heel portion of the shoe sole, and a treadmember 22 attached to the outsole 21 and covering a bottom side of therecess 20. The cellular structure of the elastic body 3 has asurrounding wall 31 that defines an inner space 310 and that is disposedbetween and that is attached to the outsole 21 and the tread member 22,and a plurality of interconnected webs 32 that are disposed in the innerspace 310 and that are connected to the surrounding wall 31 so as todefine the cells 30. Note that the webs 32 and the surrounding wall 31are formed integrally into one single piece in this embodiment.

Preferably, the filler material 34 is selected from the group consistingof gel, silicone, polyurethane resin, and soft rubber.

The surrounding wall 31 has two open ends 35 that are opposite to eachother in a horizontal direction (Z). Each of the open ends 35 of thesurrounding wall 31 defines an opening 350. Each of the webs 32 extendsbetween the open ends 35 of the surrounding wall 31. Each of the cells30 extends in the horizontal direction (Z). The shoe sole furtherincludes an elastic film 33 that is attached to one of the open ends 35of the surrounding wall 31 so as to cover the opening 350 of said one ofthe open ends 35 of the surrounding wall 31.

In this embodiment, the surrounding wall 31 has a curved upper wallportion 311 and a curved lower wall portion 312 connected end-to-end tothe upper wall portion 311. The webs 32 are grouped into substantiallyparallel first webs 32 and substantially parallel second webs 32 thatextend in a direction opposite to that of the first webs 32 and thatintersect the first webs 32 to form the cells 30. Preferably, each ofthe webs 32 is inclined relative to the upper and lower wall portions311, 312 of the surrounding wall 31 such that a top vertex angle θ ofeach of the cells 30 is greater than 90 degrees.

FIG. 5 illustrates the first preferred embodiment disposed in acompressed state. By virtue of the cellular structure, thecompressibility of the elastic body 3 in the compression direction (Y)toward the ground is enhanced as compared to the aforesaid conventionalshoe sole, and the elastic body 3 can be easily deformed by a downwardforce (F), thereby enhancing the shock absorbing effect. At thecompressed state, the top vertex angle θ is enlarged as a result of thedownward force (F).

FIG. 6 illustrates the second preferred embodiment of the shoe soleaccording to this invention. The shoe sole differs from the previousembodiment in the cellular structure of the elastic body 3. The cellularstructure of the elastic body 3 of this embodiment has four levels ofthe cells 30. Each level includes different sizes of the cells 30. Thedifferent sizes of the cells 30 of the four levels are arranged in astaggered manner.

FIG. 7 illustrates the third preferred embodiment of the shoe soleaccording to this invention. The shoe sole differs from the previousembodiments in the cellular structure of the elastic body 3.

FIG. 8 illustrates the fourth preferred embodiment of the shoe soleaccording to this invention. The shoe sole of this embodiment differsfrom the previous embodiments in that the shoe sole of this embodimentincludes two elastic bodies 3 and that the sole unit 2 is formed withtwo recesses 20, each of which receives a respective one of the elasticbodies 3. One of the recesses 20 is disposed adjacent to a toe portionof the shoe sole, while the other of the recesses 20 is disposedadjacent to the heel portion of the shoe sole.

FIG. 9 illustrates the fifth preferred embodiment of the shoe soleaccording to this invention. The shoe sole of this embodiment differsfrom the previous embodiments in that the recess 20 in the outsole 21 ofthis embodiment extends from the heel portion to the toe portion of theshoe sole.

FIG. 10 illustrates the sixth preferred embodiment of the shoe soleaccording to this invention. The shoe sole of this embodiment differsfrom the previous embodiments in that the recess 20 substantially spanstwo lateral sides of the heel portion of the shoe sole.

By virtue of the cellular structure of the elastic body 3, whichincludes multi-level cells 30 disposed one above the other, the shoesole of this invention can enhance the compressibility in thecompression direction (Y) toward the ground as compared to the aforesaidconventional shoe sole.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatare considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements includedwithin the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations andequivalent arrangements.

1. A shoe sole with shock absorbing capability comprising: a sole unitdefining at least one recess; at least one elastic body received in saidrecess and having a cellular structure that defines at least two levelsof cells, said two levels of said cells being disposed one above theother, each of said cells defining a cell space therein; and a fillermaterial that fills said cell space of each of said cells.
 2. The shoesole of claim 1, wherein said sole unit includes an outsole that definessaid recess, and a tread member attached to said outsole and covering abottom side of said recess, said cellular structure having a surroundingwall that defines an inner space and that is disposed between and thatis attached to said outsole and said tread member, and a plurality ofinterconnected webs that are disposed in said inner space and that areconnected to said surrounding wall so as to define said cells.
 3. Theshoe sole of claim 2, wherein said surrounding wall has two open endsthat are opposite to each other in a horizontal direction, each of saidopen ends of said surrounding wall defining an opening, each of saidwebs extending between said open ends of said surrounding wall, each ofsaid cells extending in the horizontal direction, said shoe sole furthercomprising an elastic film that is attached to one of said open ends ofsaid surrounding wall so as to cover said opening of said one of saidopen ends of said surrounding wall.
 4. The shoe sole of claim 1, whereinsaid filler material is selected from the group consisting of gel,silicone, polyurethane resin, and soft rubber.